Sensor systems are used by aircraft. For example, an aircraft uses an enhanced vision system (EVS) or enhanced flight vision system (EFVS) to provide imagery sensed by at least one sensor to an aircraft crew. Sensors are often unable to identify required visual references in certain low visibility conditions, such as heavy fog. Heavy fog can be problematic during surface movement, such as taxiing or other surface operations.
Ground based infrastructures have been installed to assist low visibility operations (LVOs). For example, surface movement guidance control systems (SMGCS) allow a control tower to control traffic on the surface of the airport during low visibility operations. However, such ground based infrastructure systems are expensive and are only available at the largest airports.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations, such as, 14 C.F.R. Part 121, do not permit taxi operations when the visibility at the airport is less than 1200 feet runway visual range (RVR). The FAA along with passenger and freight air carriers are evaluating aircraft centric solutions using an enhanced forward looking infrared (FLIR) sensor or 94 gigahertz (GHz) radar that could allow taxi operations to continue during reduced visibility conditions. The FAA has a goal to achieve safe taxi operations for 14 C.F.R Part 121 Air Carriers in visibility conditions as low as 300′ RVR.